Archive for Mary’s Raves
We Showed You Ours…
Posted by: | CommentsWe showed you ours…Pumpkin Event!
What a great event at Mary Sherwood Lake Living! Here are some of the creative ideas we showed for pumpkin decorating. The ideas ranged in difficulty from Autumn’s intricately carved spider web pumpkin to my very quick and easy wired pumpkin. Since time seems to be at a premium we tried to show several quick and easy ways to decorate a pumpkin without carving (consequently keeping it fresher longer).
Fabulous pumpkins and more
Colorful fall appetizers Our guests pondering over the pumpkin ideas!
Our guests pondering over the pumpkin ideas!
"Mixed Salad Satan"
"Help Me" says the fly
"Metallica"
Left to right: "Caught Up in the Web", "Pearl Jam" and "All Wired Up and Nowhere to Connect"
So we showed you our stuff…pumpkin decorating ideas. Now you have a chance to show us your’s! Enter our 1st Pumpkin Decorating Contest between now and October 23. Decorate your pumpkin, give it a funny name and bring it by the store to be photographed or submit a photo online. Online entries must include a small sign in the photo, “MSLL Pumpkin Decorating Contest 2010” to verify authenticity. NO, you can’t just pull a picture from the internet and claim it as yours! Bring on the pictures! Our loyal MSLL fans will vote on their favorite pumpkin design.
At the end of the entry period, we will send out the voting information. Voting will be blind, so no names or personal information will be shared.
The ballot will contain pictures numbered in the order they were received.
The award categories are as follows:
1st Prize as voted by our customers
will win a $50 MSLL Gift Card
The winners of following categories
will each win a $20 MSLL Gift Card
*Most Creative Use of Materials*
*Spookiest*
*Friendliest*
So the challenge has been launched! Show us your creative stuff!!!
Looking forward to your entries!
Mary
Mary Sherwood Lake Living
“Working with you to create your lifestyle at Lake Gaston and beyond!”
How are Lake Gaston and Dallas connected?
Posted by: | CommentsMany years ago a client walked into our showroom at Lake Gaston and ordered several decorative pillows for a child’s guest room. They were red, black, yellow and white to go with a Mickey Mouse theme. This one little job has turned into many! Now several houses later, Autumn and I leave on another adventure. We are off to Dallas to help this client and her husband, (now good friends) prepare a new home to accommodate the recent re-location of their extended family. The new property looks fabulous in photos and we are very excited to have the opportunity to make it into a comfortable and safe environment for four adults and three dogs!
Some ask: “How do you approach a long distance project like this? In jest, my answer is: “With a good tape measure, very accurate notes and lots and lots of pictures.” It’s a little too far away to go back to check a measurement!
We have done many long distance projects with no major problems and only a couple of minor ones. There will always be small obstacles like drilling into steel re-enforced concrete to install draperies at a hurricane-proof Gulf coast project or curtain rods that arrive from the factory incorrectly configured. There have been many broken drill bits and, of course, the closest home improvement store has sometimes been 30 miles away. Because our customers are so loyal and so much fun, the only real challenge is overcoming the stumbling blocks, adjusting to the unexpected and having a “can do” attitude.
Our “very” big bag is packed, just coming in under the weight limit. Whew! It is chock full of fabric samples and pillows to help set the stage for this new project.
Look for future posts about the “Mary and Autumn Do Dallas” project. While we are away come meet our newest part of the team, Traci Watson. Hope she has what it takes to keep Paul in line! Don’t forget to ask Paul for his “custom gift wrap”.
Enjoy this beautiful fall weather at Lake Gaston and beyond.
Mary
The Best Part of a Holiday Weekend at Lake Gaston
Posted by: | CommentsWe just finished a great weekend with our kids – well, our son and his wife. We were sorry our older son, Aaron could not join us.
Many years ago (36 now) I had the extreme good fortune to marry an amazing woman. Today, I can express great pleasure at seeing that my younger son, Jake, has accomplished the same thing.
This four day Labor Day weekend was terrific! I don’t know what you usually do when family comes to visit – but Sherwoods usually relax and share great conversation. For us it’s all about the relationships we’re building or continuing to nurture. Such is our growing relationship with Elif, our son’s wife and newest family member. For Mary and me Elif is the daughter we’ve never had. She is as precious to us as our two sons.
This reminds me of a story…
Seven years ago when Jake and Elif were dating, Mary, and others, made innocent (I guess) remarks leading Jake to feel pressure to propose. Of course he called me for fatherly advice. I suggested he would know when the time was right and no one could make that decision for him. Several days later the phone rang and a stranger asked for Paul Sherwood. After acknowledging I was he – the stranger – without preamble – started in on how he and his wife had gotten to know Jake and loved him as their own son. He said that Jake had asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage and he wanted to know whether Mary and I would accept his daughter into our family on the same terms. I can tell you – I have never been so completely surprised and touched by anything in my entire life. Whether traditional in the Turkish culture or just something Elif’s Dad wanted to know – that question said a lot about the quality of the relationship between that man and his daughter – and especially about the depth of his love for her.
It has been my privilege to get to know this young woman – and to love her as though she were my own daughter – which, of course, now she is! It has been my joy to see my son and his wife together – the love they have for each other is as obvious as is, I hope, the love Mary and I have for each other.
My thanks and appreciation to all four of my family for loving me.
Paul
Will You Accept the Crossing Challenge???
Posted by: | CommentsOn Sunday I invited a few girlfriends to share our pier, the party float, food and spirits. It was such a great afternoon, enjoying all of the above, especially the friendship.
As most of you know Paul and I are very involved in the not-for-profit organization, O’Sail. This Saturday is O’Sail’s sixth annual event, The Crossing. You can swim, float, or paddle across the lake OR for the first time you can walk the one mile bridge across the lake. There is a $25 registration fee ($30 the day of event) payable to O’Sail. You will receive a limited edition Crossing 2010 t-shirt.
While floating with the girls we decided it would be fun to walk across the bridge. No physical training for months to swim across. No silly rafts to float on. No canoe or kayak to manage. All you need is good walking shoes and sunscreen. You won’t even have to get your hair wet (except for a little sweat, maybe). Sounds like something we could easily do…right!
So let’s all do it together! I challenge you to join us this Sat. Aug. 14 as a member of our first ever MSLL Crossing Team. Here is the link to O’Sail’s registration information. http://bit.ly/cl9sAs The event begins at 9 AM. As a team, we will meet at Mary Sherwood Lake Living and go together to the designated parking lot. We will leave the MSLL parking lot at 8:15 AM sharp and return as soon as we have completed the walk.
As a special incentive, the first fifteen MSLL friends to sign up to join our team will win your choice of a “Getting a Little Woozie on Lake Gaston” wine glass koozie (no you can’t get woozie before the event ) 
OR a $10 gift card to use in our store.
Lake Gaston Woozies
The first fifteen MSLL team members to sign up can redeem their choice of prize at the store after completing the event. To sign up as a member of our team, respond to our blog, Facebook post or our email news-zine. The posted date and time of the response will determine the “first fifteen” winners. Team members must also register and pay for the event at the Lake Gaston Chamber Office. http://bit.ly/b98zdU All checks need to be made out to O’Sail. If you need any help with the registration process, please let us know.
Should we wear something funny to designate our team? This is not Project Runway! Our team uniform must be simple! Please send your ideas ASAP!
Can’t wait to have fun walking together while we are supporting a good cause!
The Crossing 08-14-2010
NC State Student’s Excellent Summer Adventure at Lake Gaston
Posted by: | CommentsWritten by Lyndsay:
(Before diving into the main part of this blog, I would like to extend a very big ‘thank you’ to Nancy Walker-Reilly, without whom I would not be writing this. She is the reason I was given the opportunity to work here this summer and I hope she knows how sincerely grateful I am.)
Lindsay (on left) seated with Autumn (alias "Birdie")
Now, Mary asked me to write about my experiences this summer, both good and bad. Bad experiences at Mary Sherwood’s, you say? Is that possible? Well, folks (did I just say folks?), I must admit that there were a few times this summer when I thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” But, please, do not misunderstand me. I do not mean to say that I was faced with any really bad experiences, because I wasn’t. Let’s call them all learning experiences instead. Every mistake is another opportunity to learn, right? While I don’t want to bore anyone with details about all of my mishaps (though, in retrospect, some were quite entertaining), I will say that it is always better to ask exactly how to do something before you do it. Always.
A little birdie told me that Mary isn’t particularly fond of wordiness, so let me try to wrap this up. It should go without saying that my good experiences this summer definitely outweighed my b-, uh, learning experiences. Mary and Paul are fantastic people to work for and with. I can guarantee that when I get old enough to have my own home, I will be hiring Mary to design it. What an incredible designer-seriously. She’s a pretty good boss, too. 
But really, if you’re reading this and have never been in to meet her and talk decorating, turn off your computer, get out of your chair, and go–right now! I promise I would not lead you astray. And Paul, I swear, that man knows everything…about everything. There wasn’t a question I asked all summer that he didn’t have the answer to. There’s a lot to be said for that. Oh, but I can’t forget to thank him for supplying me with coffee all the time. The avid caffeine drinker I am, Paul quickly became my friend. And last, but most certainly not least, Autumn. That girl has the patience of a rock. I know there were times this summer when she thought I was a complete idiot. I mean, how hard is it to hang pictures perfectly straight on a wall? (Harder than you might think, just FYI.) And we got to gossip, well, network during down time, which was really nice. Girls love to talk, you know? Plus, she’s the best gift wrapper this side of Indiana.
All in all, I’ve had a wonderful summer working here and I’d like to thank everyone-Mary, Paul, Autumn, Nancy, Lu, and all of our wonderful customers for making it so worthwhile.
Lyndsay
PS: I would like to express my appreciation for all of Lyndsay’s hard work and commitment to this summer job. It can be a fun and difficult place to work. To survive you have to be a “quick study”. She did more than survive!
It has been a pleasure having her as part of our team.
Good luck to you in your senior year at NC State and your future excellent “adventures”.
Best regards, Mary
Hot ‘lanta…7 Categories-Oh My!
Posted by: | CommentsAs of today I think I am back up to normal speed after a whirlwind trip to the summer Atlanta Gift and Accessory Market. Four days of non-stop shopping for “the next best thing” to bring to you in Lake Gaston.
I have been to this market too many times to count (twice a year equals almost 50 times…yikes!) At the end of this excursion I realized why it has become so much more difficult. (I have aged but I would never admit that is to blame!)
Many years ago we were attending markets to spot new trends, stock a small retail boutique and make purchases for clients. With our expansions and growth over the years we now shop seven categories at the Atlanta Market Center. No wonder our list is so long, our feet are worn out and our brains are fried!
These pictures show a few tidbits of the items we purchased in just three of the seven categories. Let us hear about your favorite piece.
Enjoy!!!
HOLIDAY CATEGORY
Festive Holiday Glass Platter
Cute little penquin salt and pepper shakers to hang out with the snowman dinnerware!
New contemporary snowmen holiday dinnerware which easily pairs with white dishes
Assymetrical whimsy adorns this washable floor mat
FASHION ACCESSORIES CATEGORY
Bangles and baubles for holiday attire!
Wallets with embossed, shiny finishes are hot for fall!
UNIQUE GIFTS CATEGORY
"Garden trowel" cake server and "saw" cake knife make a great his and her gift!
Sun and moon solar chimes powered by the sun!
Whimsical picture frames for your favorite child or pet!
Funky frog clock catching the dragon fly will make anyone smile!
Paul’s Skills Exposed with this Video Testimonial
Posted by: | CommentsWell, today I believe Paul has finally arrived at a level he thought he was unlikely to achieve. After his bantering and complaining about the lack of respect regarding his gift wrapping skills he has received a glowing testimonial from our customer, Peggy Freeman. Not only is his competency no longer a secret we now have a video of Peggy’s statement. Visit our YouTube channel to share in Paul’s glory. Testimonial of Paul\’s Gift Wrapping Skills (Turn up your speakers, we are still trying to get the hang of this video thing…thanks).
Let’s keep the challenge going by requesting Paul’s gift wrap for your next gift. Let’s have him prove this newly exposed talent. He might just develop a new signature wrap for Mary Sherwood Lake Living.
Some days I wonder how far we will go to provide good customer service. And it doesn’t get any better than having a husband who will gift wrap. Just think of the possibilities at Christmas! We are always looking for a topic for our next special event. How about Gift Wrapping 101 for Guys by Paul?
Let us hear your comments and stories about the secret skills of gift wrapping and your partner.
Enjoy!
AND THE LAKE GASTON WINNERS ARE…
Posted by: | CommentsWe are pleased to announce the winners of our giveaways during our recent After Hours WINOS event, Memorial Day weekend. Three of the four winners were men. That is quit a switch from our pool of women dominated shoppers. So does this tell us something…do we have to serve them wine or beer to get them in the door? You decide.
We appreciate the MEN and women who took time out of the busy and beautiful holiday weekend to spend some time with us. We are truly the “winner” because of your continued support of our business. It is nice to be right there with the following individuals in the “Winner’s Circle”.
Peter Varney from Charlotte, NC Winner of a Wine Basket Carrier from Acacia Home and Garden
Kevin Byerly from Charlotte, NC Winner of a Wine Basket Carrier from Acacia Home and Garden
Joann Robertson from Greenville, NC Winner of W.I.N.O.S. Cook with Wine cookbook
Rob O’Neill from Rocky Mount, NC Winner of a bottle of Rosemont Winery Kilravock Red Wine
Thanks once again to WINOS Creator Bonnie Jesseph, Acacia Home and Garden WINOS Furniture Marketing Director Diane Christensen, Rosemont Winery Vintner, Justin Rose for attending the event and all the cast of back- scene individuals who made this a fabulous day!
If you missed this event make sure we have your email address so you can join us next time.
Here are a few pictures of the party:
W.I.N.O.S. Display in Mary Sherwood Lake Living Showroom, Lake Gaston
The "Cast" preparing the "set" for the WINOS Event, Lindsay, Autumn and Peggy
Mary Sherwood Lake Living Outdoor WINOS Display
A Spring Bouquet
Our fabulous food, some recipes found in the WINOS cookbooks
Several generations enjoy the food together at Mary Sherwood Lake Living
Bonnie Jesseph, WINOS creator, signing a cookbook for Marcia Nicolai
Women in Need of Sanity-W.I.N.O.S. at Lake Gaston
Posted by: | CommentsWomen in Need of Sanity-W.I.N.O.S. at Lake Gaston
Right now, as I write this blog, I feel like “a women in need of sanity”. It is very early in the morning and I am up before the sun. I can hear the birds just waking up. “No”, I am not going to tell you what time it is. You go figure (it’s way too early to be typing!!!).
How did W.I.N.O.S. and Mary Sherwood Lake Living connect? Here is the story. I had the pleasure of meeting a fun and talented women, Bonnie Jesseph, about a year ago on one of our many market trips. Autumn and I were immediately drawn to her new W.I.N.O.S. Furniture line because of the fabulous colors and designs. We knew the bright color palette would be perfect for our showroom. We made the decision to purchase the line prior to the first production of the furniture. When I learned Bonnie was from Blowing Rock, NC I casually invited her to visit our store. After much planning, Bonnie will be joining us for a special event Saturday, May 29, Memorial Day weekend.
Bonnie and I seemed to have a lot in common. First, she is very talented business women (I think we have this in common?). She is creative and has developed her brand to reflect her lifestyle. She loves to cook, entertain and have fun! She involves her friends and family in the development of her brand-especially as guinea pigs for her new recipes. And, she feels it is important to give back to her community through various philanthropic causes. She is engaged and enthusiastic about life, her business and her lifestyle. The title of her website, www.winoshavefun.com ,says it all.
I have been reading the introductions of several of her cookbooks and have found them quite entertaining. The origin of the company name, alone, is so humorous. She gives credit to her sister, Jan, for the idea, Women in Need of Sanity. She also writes: “My husband’s idea for the meaning of W.I.N.O.S. is Women in Need of Sex. Good Lord, do they ever think of anything else? Oh yeah, I forgot…golf and food! Ha-ha.”
Her brand began as a cookbook with the fun logo of a woman diving into a wine glass. She expanded her line after being flooded by requests to put the icon on napkins, aprons and T-shirts. She has once again grown her brand to include her own licensed furniture line, W.I.N.O.S. by Acacia Home and Garden. http://www.acaciahomeandgarden.com/winos.html
Now, I’ve just read she will be launching a new collection for Patio Living Concepts focusing on color and the use of lighting to create a casual outdoor entertainment environment. Congrats, Bonnie!
It is truly our pleasure to have Bonnie join us for a guest appearance at Mary Sherwood Lake Living on Saturday, May 29th. Our After Hours Party begins at 4 PM. Listen to Bonnie tell her story and sign cookbooks, taste our local Rosemont Wines and sample food from W.I.N.O.S. Go Tapas cookbook.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Be safe, have fun and find some sanity at beautiful Lake Gaston!
